‘Were not you surprised when Saakashvili so quickly admitted defeat and moved to opposition?’

Merab Ratishvili, political scientist, writer and former Deputy Chairman of CIS Executive Committee contacted us from Rustavi 6 prison.

A. – It seems Mikheil Saakashvili isn’t going to resign from the post of party chairmanship and concede the seized powers. It means that to distract attention they named themselves pseudo opposition and are getting ready for new guile. They just changed masks but haven’t admitted guilt. ‘National Movement’

hasn’t moved to opposition, it’s done to distract and slacken people’s attention. They still possess the tools of propaganda and slander, military and policing branch.

A. – By this declaration Ivanishvili revealed his attitude; he demonstrated to everybody that he has no intention of revenge, persecution and called on the people to stop actions and this is correct. But it is one thing what Ivanishvili wants and what Saakashvili and his team have in mind – is something else. They cannot be trusted.

Q. – As they say, the videos showing the torture of prisoners played decisive role in coalition’s victory.

A. – I partially share this opinion. Huge charge was accumulated in people and after seeing the video people got more furious.

Q. – Why couldn’t Saakashvili get support from USA this time?!

A. – USA has pragmatic interest and they saw quite well that Saakashvili was their big mistake. Saakashvili was christened as Bush’s project, they closed their eyes on many things, gave him carte blanche and the syndrome of impunity brought them to this situation. So far Saakashvili couldn’t waive ‘National Movement’ and he stayed a President for his supporters; it’ll be good to hold referendum and ban ‘National Movement’ just like the fascist party was banned in Italy and Nazis – in Germany.

Q. – Where is the main threat for Ivanishvili coming from?

A. – Main threat is Saakashvili. He has to resign but before that – he has to delegate his powers.

Unanimously the U.S. approved the act, which calls for imposing sanctions on Russian actors for the commission of serious human rights abuses in the occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Yesterday on the 16th of December, clashes occurred between Nika Melia, leader of the United National Movement and Teimuraz Kupatadze, head of patrol police department in the village of Velistsikhe, Kakheti region (eastern part of Georgia).

Yesterday evening, at a meeting with his supporters in the Philharmonic Hall, the defeated candidate Grigol Vashadze made it clear that he didn’t recognize the result of the presidential elections and called for early parliamentary elections.